Dr. Sarah Knowles

Biography

Sarah Knowles is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Oxford, where she specializes in Ecosystem Biology. Her research investigates the complex relationships between animals and their symbiotic microbial communities, emphasizing the importance of the microbiome in host biology. While significant research has been conducted on the human microbiome, Sarah's work focuses on understudied microbiomes in wild animals, a field that remains largely unexplored. Her lab primarily utilizes wild rodents, such as wild mice, as model systems to study how these animals' microbiomes are shaped by their natural environments and how these communities impact the hosts. Through a combination of field studies, experimental approaches, and computational methods, she aims to uncover the dynamics of mammalian microbiomes in their natural habitats.

Research Interests

Experience